Why is my period so heavy?

Many
women often have days of high flow and cramps when they have their period. But
it is not common to have the medical condition known as menorrhagia, which
means “intense periods.”

If
you have this problem, your flow will be so heavy that you will need to change
your tampon or pad every hour for at least a whole day, and you will also have
cramps so severe that they will not allow you to do your job. habitual
activities.

Intense
periods are sometimes caused by subtle health problems, and can lead to other
health problems. If you soak a pad or tampon about every hour, talk to your
doctor. She may be able to help.

The
symptoms

Some
women have heavy periods all the time, from their first menstrual flow. Others
may begin to have heavy periods after having normal periods for years or
decades.

It
is always advisable to talk about your abundant periods with your doctor,
especially if the problem is new to you. It may cause anemia (low levels of red
blood cells), which can make you feel weak, tired or out of breath.

Women
who have menorrhagia may have to:

•
Change pads or tampons at least once per hour for a whole day or more

•
Change the pads in the middle of the night.

•
Use two pads at a time to control heavy flow

They
can also:

•
Jump things that you like to do, due to painful cramps.

•
Pass blood clots that are the size of rooms

•
Have periods that last more than 7 days.

•
Feeling tired or out of breath

•
Bleeding between periods

•
Bleeding after menopause.

Causes

There
are many reasons why some women have long periods. These are some common
causes:

Hormonal
problems Each month, a lining builds up inside your uterus (womb), which shed
during your period. If your hormone levels are not balanced, your body can make
the coating too thick, leading to heavy bleeding when it comes off the thicker
lining. If you do not ovulate (release an ovum from an ovary), this can also
reduce the hormonal balance in the body, leading to a thicker lining and a
heavier period.

Growths
in the uterus (womb). Polyps are growths within the lining of the uterus. Fibroids
are benign (non-cancerous) tumors that grow inside the uterus. Both can make
their periods much heavier or last longer than they should.

Certain
IUDs Many women use a small intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control. If
your IUD does not contain hormones, it can make your periods heavier.

Problems
related to pregnancy. In rare cases, after the sperm and the egg are found, the
ball of growing cells is implanted outside the uterus instead of inside. This
is called an ectopic pregnancy. It can never be a viable pregnancy, and it can
cause serious health problems, such as heavy bleeding, which can be confused
with a heavy period. A miscarriage, which is when an unborn baby dies in the
womb, can also be the cause of heavy bleeding.

Some
female cancers. It is rare, but cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovary can
cause excessive bleeding in some women, which may seem like an intense period.

Bleeding
disorders They are not common, but coagulation disorders, which are common in
families, make it difficult for a person to stop bleeding when they have been
cut. They can also make a woman’s period heavier and make it last longer.

Some
health problems Women who have any of these conditions can have abundant periods:

•
Endometriosis

•
Thyroid problems

•
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

•
Kidney disease

•
Liver disease

Diagnosis

Your
doctor will ask about your medical history and ask you to describe your
symptoms. You will also have a physical exam and may need to order tests, such
as an ultrasound, a Pap test, or blood tests. You can also take a sample of the
tissue that lines your uterus. After she rules out other health problems, she
may be able to diagnose you with intense periods.

Treatment

Your
doctor may be able to treat your long periods with these methods:

Birth
control options. Taking birth control pills can upset the balance of hormones
in your body, which can put an end to intense periods. Obtaining an IUD that
emits hormones is another option that can help relieve your periods.

Surgery. If your doctor finds that you have polyps or fibroids, you can
reduce or remove them. This can stop the heavy bleeding.

Removal of the lining of the uterus. There are different ways that
doctors can do this. The simplest procedure, called dilation and curettage, or
D & C, only removes the outermost layer of the lining of the uterus. It
often stops intense periods, but some women need to do this more than once.

Other procedures (called endometrial ablation and endometrial resection)
permanently remove or destroy the lining of the uterus. Women have much lighter
periods later. Keep in mind Keep in mind that doctors advise women not to get
pregnant after an endometrial ablation or resection. You will still need to use
a contraceptive method because these treatments are not a form of
contraception.

Hysterectomy. In extreme cases, you may need this surgery, which will remove the uterus. She will no longer have her period, but she will not be able to get pregnant either.